Selectively controlled clutch transmission mechanism



July`2'3, 1940. H, JESSN 2,208,674

SELECTIVELY CONTROLLED CLUTCH TRANSMISSION MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22,1938v 3 ShetS-Sheet l TTom/gr A July 23, 1940. A H, ESSEN 2,208,674

lsELEc'rIvFmf coNTRoLLED CLUTCH TRANsMIssIoN MEcHAmsM .Filed Aug. 22,1938 av sheets-sheet s A' TTORNEY Patented July 23, 1940 UNITED STATESPATENT OFF-ICE 1 SLECTIVEIQY CONTROLLED CLUTCH TRANSlI/ IIS SIONMECHANISM Arnold H. Jessen, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 22, 1938, Serial No.,226,'09f

19 Claims.

This invention relates to selectively controlled *torque actuated clutchtransmission mechanisms views taken on lines 2 2, 3-3 and 4 4,respectively, of Fig. 1; Figs. 5, 6, '7 and 8 are sectional views likethe central portion of Fig. 1 but showing the controlling mechanism indifferent positions; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional View, on anenlarged scale, of parts shown in Fig. 4; and Fig. 10 is anotherfragmentary sectional view taken at right angles to that of Fig. 9, ason the line lil-Ill thereof; Fig. 11 is a sectional view on a reducedscale of a modified form of roller cage and rollers; Fig. 12 is atransverse sectional View through the cage and rollers of Fig. 11, butdrawn to a larger scale; Fig. 13 shows my invention applied to a4somewhat different structure from that of the preceding figures, andFig. 14 is a View similar to Fig. 6 but showing a modified form ofcollar or sleeve.

Referring to the drawings, I2 designates a rotatable driving member,such as a shaft. In

axial alinement with the member I2 is .a driven member I3. Between thesemembers are mechanisms through which power may be transmitted from oneto the other and at variable speeds, as desired. While the invention isadaptable for use in many relations, it has been designed with specialreference to automotive vehicles as a transmission gearing and, forpurposes of this description, it will be assumed that the shaft I2 `isdriven from a suitable prime mover, such as the crank-shaft of aninterior combustion engine, and the member I3 is the shaft which leadsto the usual universal joint in the shaft which extends to thedifferential gearing. The shaft I3 is mounted in suitable rollerbearings at I4 and I5, the latter being within a bell-shaped housing I6,which is preferably an integral part of the shaft I2 and is also thecentral part of a gear I'I .which forms a part of a trainl of gears,notshown, through which powervmay, if desired, be transmitted to a largergear I8 which surrounds the shaft I3 and turns thereabout on.thebearings I4.

Thetrain of gearing connecting the gears II and I8 arel not shownbecause they are conventional in automotive-transmission structures andare well understood.

The gear I8 is connected, or is preferably madefs integral, withahollow, cylindrical member `I9 which surrounds the shaft I3 in thedirection of the gear Il, but is spaced from said shaft, for a reasonwhich will hereinafter appear. The belllike housing I3 of the gear I1 islikewise provided#10 with a hollow cylindrical member 29 of the samediameter as the member I9. These members I9 and 29 abut atftheiradjacent ends except that they are separated by a set of roller bearingsl2I,

the ends ofthe members being shaped to form ai'l'1'15 suitable race-Wayfor the balls. These bearings serve not only to reduce friction but tohelp hold the members in alinement. These members are perfectly smoothor cylindrical on their outer surfaces but are provided withlongitudinally eX-,. 20

tending grooves on their inner surfaces, the grooves in the members I9and 29 being designated 22 and 23, respectively. These grooves areshallowand are .V.shaped, as shown, for-.a :reason to be presentlyexplained.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the shaft I3 is a onepiece member that isenlarged between the bearings I4 and I5. That is my preferred structurebecause of its simplicity. However, the'enlarged part of the shaft ymayobviously be formed byi30 securing a sleeve about the shaft. In eithercase, the outer surface of the shaft or of the sleeve is perfectlysmooth and cylindrical.

Mounted end to end upon the shaft I3 transversely opposite the groovedportion ofthe mem-,435

bers I9 and 2B are two cages 24 and 25. As best seen in Fig. 1 wherea'portion of the shaft I3 is broken away for clearness of illustration,the adjacent ends of `these cages are continuous circumferentially,forming rings or relatively narrowss sleeves, from each ofY whichprojects a series of fingers 26. These fingers are spaced equidistantlyand, between them, provide pockets for a series of clutch members v2'I,shown as rollers.

There is a roller within each pocket, and the :45

pockets correspond in number to the V-shaped 1. grooves in the membersI9 and 20. In diameter,

these members-2l are somewhat greater than ,the space'between the shaftsI3 and 20; but when they are in'mid position opposite theirrespective,50 VVgrooves 22 andk 23, as in Figs. 2 and 3, they projectinto the grooves and do not touch the member I9 or 20. `That istheirvposition when the parts are Ain neutral or non-transmitting relation.

Further, the cages j24 and 25 are slightly spaced;l 55

from the members I9 and 20. When, therefore, the parts are in neutralposition there 1s no contact between the latter member and the cages orrollers. The cages, however, are frictionally contacted with the shaftI3 so as to turn therewith when permitted so to do. As indicated in Fig.1 the outer or free ends of the fingers 26 are bent slightly toward theshaft so as to grip it resiliently.

The cages with their rollers, are held in what may be considered theirnormal or neutral positions by control pins 28, 29, 30 and 3|. pinsextend radially through and are carried by the members I9 and 2D. Fig. 4shows three of these control pins 28 spaced equidistantly in the memberI9. Between these pins, but slightly out of transverse alinementtherewith, are the pins 29, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. One ofeach of these pins 28 and 29 is shown in Fig. l, from which it will beseen that the pins 28 are somewhat to the right of the pins 29.Similarly, the

pins 33 and 3| are carried by the member 20. The three pins 3| are shownin full lines in Fig. 3, and the pins 3U are indicated therein by dottedlines. These two sets of pins, 30 and 3l, are also out of transversealinement. As shown, therefore, and as preferred, there are three pinsin each of the four sets, and they are spaced equidistantly about thecages 24 and 25. The pins are preferably cylindrical and move with aneasy sliding fit within radial bores in the respective members I9 and20. The inner ends of the pins `are tapered to form truncated cones, andthe length of the pins is slightly greater than the thickness of themembers which carry them.

In alinement with the pins 28 to 3| when the parts are in neutralposition, the cages 24 and 25, or their fingers 26, are provided withsockets 32 or 33. The sockets 32 cooperate with the pins 29 and 3|,while the sockets 33 cooperate with the pins 28 and 30. The sockets arepreferably formed by drilling or otherwise forming radial holes throughthe cages or their fingers and then reaming the outer ends of the holesto t the truncated conical ends'of the respective pins. The reamed partof the sockets 32 are adapted to t about the ends of the pins throughouttheir entire circumferences so that,

- when the pins are fully seated, there can be no rotative movement ofthe cages as respects the members I9 and 20 which carry the pins. Thesockets 33, however, are elongated in one direction circumferentially ofthe cage, as shown in Fig. 10, so that, when the pins 28 or 39 areseated therein, the cages may turn slightly in one direction from theirneutral positions. This is for a purpose which will be presently setforth.

Surrounding the members I9 and 20 is a collar or sleeve 34 which isadapted to be slid back and forth on said members by an operating yokeor element 35, which yoke may be moved from any place which isconvenient to the operator.

vIntermediate its ends, the sleeve 34 is provided with an interiorcircumferential groove 3S, the

marginal edges of which are tapered divergently, as shown, t'o form camsfor forcing the pins 28, 29, 30 and 3| inwardly. It will be noted thatthe outer ends of the pins are slightly rounded to f assist in thiscamming action. When the collar or sleeve 34 is in its central orneutral position, asin Fig, 1, all of the sai-d pins are depressed tralposition, some of the pins are released and These permitted to moveoutwardly into the groove 36, thereby releasing the cage with which theycooperate and permitting it to shift circumferentially to cause therollers controlled by that cage to ride up the inclined cam surfaces ofthe grooves 22 or 23, as the case may be, thus to cause thecorresponding member I9 or 2U to clutch the shaft I3 and rotate it withsaid member.

Operation- Assuming that the invention is in use as the transmissionmechanism in an automotive vehicle, that the driving member I2 isrotating and the parts are in the neutral position of Fig. l, no poweris being transmitted to the driven shaft I3 although both members I9 andare rotating, but at different speeds, owing to their connection throughthe usual train of gearing, not shown. All the control pins 28, 29, 30,and 3| are depressed and the cages 24 and are both held in their centralor neutral positions, as in Figs. 2 and 3. All of the rollers 2l are outof contact with the members I9 and If, now, the collar or sleeve 34 beshifted to the right to what may, for purposes of this description, becalled its second position, as indicated in Fig. 5, the set of pins 29are released so that they no longer function. That is to say, theirouter ends are uncovered and may move into the groove 36. The pins maybe thrown outwardly through centrifugal action or they may be cammedoutwardly as the released cage shifts circumferentially. In any event,the pins 29 are nowinoperative and, so far asthey are concerned, thecage 24 is free and the member I9 may turn thereon. But the pins 28 arenot released but continue to project into their sockets 33. These arethe sockets which, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, are slightly elongated inone direction. At the instant of release of the cage 24 by the pins 29,the pins 28 are still in engagement with the cage 24 at one end of theelongated socket 33 and thus hold the cage from shifting to the right,as seen in Fig. 9. However, it may shift in the opposite direction,owing to the elongation, suflicient to cause the rollers of cage 24 toroll up one side of the V-shaped grooves 22, thus to clutch the shaft I3to the member I9. This member is rigidly connected with, or is anintegral part of the slow moving gear I8. When, therefore, the parts arein this second position, the shaft I3 is positively rotated in onedirection only, being free to rotate independently of the gear I8 in theopposite direction, thus providing for free wheeling when in low gear.

Suppose, now, the collar or sleeve 34 be further shifted to the right,Fig.` 1, into its third position, as indica-ted in Fig. 6. Both sets ofpins 28 and 29 are released and the cage 24 is free to shift in eitherdirection, from its first or neutral position. But in so shifting, itsrollers climb one side or the other of the V-shaped grooves 22 andclutch the shaft tothe member I9. In this third position, therefore, thevehicle is in low gear and is positively clutched to the member I9whether the power be transmitted from the said member to the shaft orfrom the shaft to the 'memben as in going down a grade when the vehicletends to travel faster than the engine speed permits. In this thirdposition, therefore, there is no free wheeling.

If, now, the collar 34 be shifted backwardly, or to the left in Fig. 1,past the neutral and into the fourth position, the parts will then be asin Figl 7. The pins 3| are released and are inopera- -against the shaftI3.

faster than the member. The operation is-the `same as in thesecond'position except that the power is transmitted from the fastmoving member 2B and not fromthe :slowmovingf member vI9, which is nowunclutched, sinceboth sets of pins 28 and 29 are held depressed.

When the collar 24 is moved to'its final or fifth position, as indicatedin Fig. 8,'both vsets of pins 38 and 3| are released-and the shaft I3-is clutched to the member'ZI) in both directions -are reversed fromthat shown and describ-ed herein. I consider my present arrangementof-these parts advantageous, particularly for the Vreason that theclutching elements-areilocated as far as practicable from the axis ofrotation of the driven member where va-minimum of stress is sufficienttotransmit-the power.

In Figs. 11 and 12 I have'shown a modified formof cage for the rollers,Yand the latter are also modified to cooperate'with that-cage. As hasbeen described, the cages 24 and 25 are each provided with a series ofrigid ngers 26, nine such fingers being shown and preferred. When thecages are released from their control-pins, they should not turn tooeasilyvk upon the shaft I3. If they do, the rollers may not-climb ytheinclined sides of the grooves r22 or v23 but may push thel cages withthem. Forv that reason, the fingers 26 of Fig. 1 were turned inwardlyslightly at their outer or free ends to clamp the shaft I3 slightly andthus produce enough' friction to -prevent the cages from'turning too.freely on the said shaft. While that structure has proven entirelysatisfactory, it is thought that, owing rto ywide changes intemperature, thei fingers 26 may yeither clamp the shaft too rmly andthus set up unnecessary friction and wear, or Vmayxclamp it too looselyand thus failto hold :thecages while the rollers areclimbing the `camAsurfaces of the grooves 22 or 23. Forthat reason,.I:have 'devised thestructure'shown. in Figs. l1 and 12 'in which some of the fingers faresevered from the rest of the cage `and are pressed bodily Thus, in Fig.11,in'which Kthe ring part of Ythe cage .is designatedla, the

'fingers 26a are entire and project fromthering 25a, as in the otherstructure. The .iingersZIb are severed from the ringat 26c .and merelyfill in between the adjacent rollers. lTo hold these loosened ngers inplace and to cause them to press against the shaft I3, I surround the`set of fingers with a'resi1ientband31 which,when detached, has Valesser circumference;than the cage and, when attached, isdistended so asto Vpress upon the fingers. Preferably, .this is a metal band, suchvassteel, which isisplit transat 38, in Fig. 11. To receive thisrbandandmaintain it in position, ,the outer `surfaces of :the fingers aregrooved so that lthe outervsurface of the bandis substantially flushwith the outer surfaces ofthe fingers. To accommodate them; band, therollers 2'Ia are each grooved circumferentially, as bestshown in Fig.12, in which the split 38 in the band'3'I is also shown. This figurefurther shows the severed fingers 26*D contacting With the shaft I3 tocreate the necessaryiiil friction for holding the cage, while the otherfingers 26a are free from theA shaft.

Preferably, and as shown, there are nine lingers on each cage and everythird finger is severed. There will, with this arrangement, beiil5 threefingers frictionally engaged with the shaft and these ngers are spacedequidistantly about 'theflatten thus balancing the action andycontributing to smoothness of operation.

In Fig. 13 I have shown my inventionfappliedoo toa structure similar tothat shown in my Patent No. 1,707,399, April 2, 1929, particularly inFig. 6

thereof. As far as they are applicable,.the ref- .erence numerals aboveemployed will be used .in describing Fig. 13. 3D, the rollers 2'I, theroller cages 2li and-25, ywith Vtheir sockets 33 are substantially thesame and are given the same reference numerals. .a slow speed shaft, thesame being provided .with

'Ihe control pins23 andeia `a pinion 455, these .parts corresponding totheosO .similar parts 31 and 45 of Fig. 6 of my abovementioned patent.The shaftla. is axiallybored at 32a to receive the end of and center the.drive shaft 23a. Surrounding the shaft 3|a is a tubularshaft 43a whichcorresponds to theshaft v`433%35 of said patent. Splined on the end ofshaft 13|a and turning therewith is a ring R; anda pinion 46acorresponding to pinion 46 of the patent, is at its other end adjacentthe pinion i521.

Whereas in Fig. 1 of this application the mem-i334() bers vI9 and v2l)are separate and are rigidly connected with vthe gears I8 and I7,respectively, in Fig. 13, the place of thesemembers is ,taken by asingle cylindrical member I9a outside the roller cages, and this memberis integral'with or rigidlyi45 attached to the driven shaft 33a, thesame .corresponding to the shaft 33 of my said patent. The collar orsleeve 34 is substantially the same as is shown in Fig. l of thisapplication. The means for sliding it is somewhat different, theiiosaine comprising a shifting yoke 35a which is secured to a rock shaft35h mounted in a casing 35c and rocked by any suitable means. The casingis provided with a roller bearing 35d for the driven shaft 33a.kAlthough not specificallys illustrated, it is to be understood that theshaft 43a and the ring R aresmooth circumferentially while the interiorsurface of the member |92L isprovided with V-shaped'grooves', lile..22and 23 of Figs. 2 and 3 respectively, to cooperatewitho() the rollers2'I.v The manner `in which the control pins 28 and 30 are manipulatedyby the slidey `collar 24 is the same as has been hereinbeforedescribed.

Fig. lll-is the same'as Fig. 6 except as to thei165 .turning with I9 itwill slide circumferentially over the4outer .ends .of .the. .controlpins 30 andv3 I Iand,'l5

will produce wear of both-the pinsyand collar. To obviate thisdifficulty, I have divided the collar into two independently rotatablerings, designated 2lia and 2&1b in Fig. 14. The ring 2lia is providedwith an interior rabbet 24 at its left-hand rim within which looselyfits the righthand rim of the ring 24h, which rim is provided with anoutwardly turned flange which forms a shoulder for engagement by a splitring 24d. This ring is adapted to be pushed into position within therabbet where it snaps into an interior groove in the ring part 24a. Whenso assembled, the rings may turn with the respective members I9 and 20and will not wear the control pins or be worn by them.

I claim:

1. In a power-transmitting mechanism, an outer driving member and aninner driven member formed to provide a space between the members, theouter member being grooved interiorly to form cams, a plurality ofclutch elements within said space, there being one of said elements foreach of the said grooves, and an adjustable control device closelyengaging and accurately controlling the location of said clutch elementsand adapted at will so to locate them that they will engage the sides oftheir respective grooves and lock said driving and driven memberstogether against relative movement in either direction, or to so locatethem as to permit a one-way movement of said driven member with respectto the driving member.

2. Power-transmitting mechanism as set forth in claim l, in which theadjustable control device consists of an angularly adjustable cagehaving fingers projecting between pairs of clutch elements and closelyengaging the same to control the positions thereof.

3. Power-transmitting mechanism comprising a hollow rotatable drivingmember, a cylindrical driven member coaxial with and Within the drivingmember but spaced therefrom, clutch elements within the space betweensaid members, pairs of oppositely inclined cam surfaces on one of saidmembers, there being a pair of said surfaces for each of said elements,an adjustable control device for said elements, control pins slidinglymounted in one of said members and adapted for engagement with saidcontrol device to hold the latter so that the clutch elements aremaintained out of contact with their respective cam surfaces and meansfor selectively operating said control pins to hold the control deviceand the clutch elements from clutching engagement with said cam surfacesor topermit the clutch elements to engage said surfaces to rotate thedriven with the driving member.

4. Power-transmitting mechanism as set forth in claim 3 in which theoppositely inclined cam surfaces are on the driving member and in whichthe driven member has a smooth exterior surface with which the clutchelements engage.

5. Power-transmitting mechanism as set forth in claim 3 in which thecontrol pins for said control device are pins slidingly mounted in thedriving member for movement toward and from the driven member.

6. Power-transmitting mechanism comprising a hollow rotatable outermember, a cylindrical inner member, said members being coaxial with aspace between them, a plurality of pairs of divergently inclined camsurfaces on one of said members, a plurality of clutch elements withinsaid space, there being a clutch element for each of said pairs ofsurfaces and located between the surfaces of the respective pairs, acage for said elements having ngers thereon, said cage being mounted forlimited rotational movement within said space and having the fingersthereon extending between the clutch elements, control pins 5 slidinglymountedin one of the said members and adapted to engage with said cageto hold it and the clutch elements centrally positioned between thedivergent surfaces of their respective pairs of cam surfaces but yout ofcontact with said sur-,10 faces or to free the said cage to permit theclutch elements to engage the said cam surfaces, and manually operablemeans-for controlling the said control pins.

7. Power-transmitting mechanism as set forthli in claim 6 in which thecontrol pins for the cage are mounted for radial sliding movement withinthat member which carries the pairs of divergent cam surfaces.

8. Power-transmission mechanism as set forthfgo in claim 6 in which thehollow outer member is provided with the pairs of divergent cam surfacesand in which the control pins are mounted for radial sliding movementsthrough said hollow outer member.

9. Power-transmitting elements as set forth in claim 6 in which thecontrol pins are mounted for radial sliding movement through the saidhollow outer member and in which the manually operable means forcontrolling the said controlaio pins is a sleeve which surrounds thesaid hollow outer member, said sleeve being adapted to force the saidpins inwardly into contact with said cage or to free the cage from saidpins depending upon the position of said sleeve on the outer member.

10. In power-transmitting mechanism, two hollow outer members mountedend to end vand rotatable at different speeds, an inner member Withinand coaxial with the outer members and spaced therefrom, said outermembers being pro-A0 vided with V-shaped cam grooves in their innersurfaces, a plurality of clutch rollers within the Space between theouter and inner members, there being a roller for and partially housedwithin each of said grooves, said rollers having-g5 diameters somewhatgreater than the width of said space, two roller cages within said spaceand surrounding said inner member, said cages being disposed end to endand each having a series of fingers projecting therefrom, the fingersoft-,50 one cage projecting between the` rollers within one of the saidouter members andthe lingers of the other cage projecting between therollers within the other of said outer members, said cages being adaptedfor frictional engagement.; with the said inner member and each of-saidcages having sockets in their outer peripheries, a plurality of controlpins for and carried by each of said outer members, said pins beingslidably mounted for radial movement with respect to `the 6o innermember and adapted when moved toward the latter member, to enter therespective sockets in said cages, a sleeve surrounding the outer membersadapted to move the control pins into their sockets or to free the pinsfor disengagee G5 ment from said sockets, and manuallycontrolled meansfor moving said sleeve, whereby the pins are selectively-moved orreleased, for the purpose specified.

l1. Power-transmitting mechanism as setv forth 7 o in claim 10, in whichcertain of the sockets in the cages fit circumferentially entirely aboutthe contained control pin when the latter is moved'toward said innermember, whereby the cages are held non-rotatablewith respect to theirrespective outer members, and in which other sockets are elongated inone direction only so that the pins entering them may have limitedmovements Within the elongated parts of the slots, whereby the cages maymove slightly in one direction with respect to the outer members but areheld against such relative movement in the opposite direction, for thepurpose specified.

12. Power-transmitting mechanism as set forth in claim 10 in Which thesleeve for moving the control pins slides upon the outer members and isprovided with a cam groove within its inner surface to release the pinswhen the groove is brought opposite the pins and to depress the pinswhen the groove is moved away from the pins.

13. Power-transmitting mechanism as set forth in claim 6 in whichcertain of the fingers `of the cage are severed and are permitted tocontact with the inner member, and means for pressing the severed ngersinto frictional engagement with said inner member for the purposespecified.

le. Power-transmitting mechanism as set forth in claim 10, in whichcertain of the ngers of each of the cages are severed and are permittedto contact with the inner member, and means carried by the respectivecages for pressing the severed iingers into frictional engagement withthe inner member, for the purpose specified.

15. Power-transmitting mechanism as set forth in claim l0 in Whichcertain fingers on each of the cages are severed and are permitted tocontact with the inner member, and a resilient band for and extendingabout the group of fingers on each cage and pressing the severed iingersof the group into frictional engagement with the inner member.

16. Power-transmitting mechanism as set forth in claim 10 in whichcertain fingers on each of the cages are severed and are permitted tocontact with the inner member, and a split metallic band for andextending about the group of fingers on each cage and pressing thesevered fingers of the group into frictional engagement with the innermember.

17. In a power-transmitting mechanism a tubular shaft, a second shaftWithin said tubular shaft, said shafts having means through which theymay be rotated at different speeds, a driven shaft coaxial with saidtubular and second shaft, a drum-like extension on the driven shaftsurrounding but spaced from the other shafts, a cage member rotatablymounted on the tubular shaft, a similar cage member surrounding the saidsecond shaft, said cage member being in the space between the saiddrum-like extension and the tubular and second shafts, a plurality ofclutch elements mounted in each of said cages, aseries ofradially-mounted and longitudinally-movable control pins carried by saidextension, said pins being adapted to engage and control the said cageswhereby the clutch elements may be caused to establish driving relationbetween the said tubular and said second shafts and the drumlikeextension, and means for selectively controlling said pins to determinewhether the ele- `ments of one cage or the other shall become active inestablishing such driving relation.

18. A power-transmitting mechanism as set forth in claim 17 in which thesaid second shaft is provided with a rigidly atttached ring having thesame internal and external diameters as the tubular shaft and beingcoaxial with said shaft, whereby the space between the said extensionand the tubular and other shafts is continuous and of uniform Widthradially and the cages are of the same diameters internally andexternally.

19. A power-transmitting mechanism as set forth in claim 10 in which thesaid sleeve is divided transversely into two-rings, which areindependently rotatable but slide together, for the purpose specified.

ARNOLD I-I. JESSEN.

